Head block for wigs



Jan. 24, 1967 M R 3,300,108

HEAD BLOCK FOR WIGS Filed June 9. 1966 INVENTOR. LOUIS SCHUMER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,300,108 HEAD BLOCK FOR WIGS Louis Schumer, 5402 Beverly Road, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11203 Filed June 9, 1966, Ser. No. 556,345 4 Claims. (Cl. 223-66) This invention relates to novel head blocks suitable for use in both dressing wigs, and in displaying wigs, wearing apparel and the like having a base built into said head block.

The canvas blocks have been used in the past and are still being used in beauty shoppes and by ind-vidual consumers as the device for dressing wigs and/or wiglets. However, these canvas blocks must be mounted on a suitable stand or other supporting means during use. The old canvas blocks per se are constructed in such a way that they are not self-supporting. The slightest movement of the block or the table upon which it is resting causes it to fall over on its side. The bulkiness of this block combined with its narrow base contribute to its instability as a self-supporting device.

It has now been found that a self-supporting block can be made, wherein a base is built into said canvas block. This eliminates the need for plateforms and other supporting devices which are normally bulky and unsightly. It enables the head block to be used both for combing and setting wigs as well as for displaying said coiffures. The step for removing the dressed wig from the canvas block and placing it on a display head for exhibitionpurposes can now be eliminated. Accordingly, the duplication of resetting the wig, either in part or in whole, during this transfer step is no longer existant. This affords a saving of time and labor to beauty shoppes and like establishments.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a self-supporting head block comprising a builtin base.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel head block serving the dual function of dressing and displaying wigs.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a self-supporting head block for both dressing and displaying wigs comprising a block shaped to the contour of the human head and terminating in a neck-shaped portion to which is secured a molded plastic supporting base comprising essentially a circular plate having a larger circumference than said neck portion, a centrally located integral tube which extends into the body of said block and an integral upwardly turned flange shaped to fit around the neck portion thereof as an annular band. The head block is composed of an outer fabric cover such as canvas, a suitable filler material, such as ground cork and a plastic closure plate having a centrally located aperture secured to the peripheral edges of said fabric at the neck portion thereof. The self-supporting base is superimposed on the closure plate thereby reinforcing said block at the base thereof. The tube portion of the sup porting base is perferably cone-shaped and provides a cylindrical opening for mounting on conventional stands or holders, if desired.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification in connection with the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the head block including the base thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view through 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the base through 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the base.

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Referring to the drawings, the head block of the present invention comprises-a block 1 shaped to the contour of a human head and consisting essentially of an outer fabric cover 2 such as canvas, a suitable filler 3 such as ground cork, and a plastic closure plate 4 situated at the lower end thereof. The lower edge of the fabric cover 2 is secured to the upwardly extending flange 5 of closure plate 4 by any suitable securing means 6 such as staples, clips, screws, rivets, nails, etc. Closure plate 4 is preferably elliptical in shape to simulate the neck portion 7 of a human head and has a centrally located aperture 8.

An essential feature of this invention is the supporting base 9 which is superimposed upon closure plate 4 and extends beyond said neck portion 7 to afford stability to the head block and to render the device self-supporting. Base 9 is molded from a non-resilient, hard, high impact, opaque plastic. The method usually or preferably employed is injection molding of plastic pellets of linear polyethylene or the like, whereby said pellets are extruded in a single operation into a mold of the supporting base. More specifically, said base is an integral unit, thereby additionally strengthening the head block at the very point of greatest wear, stress and strain.

Supporting base 9 compirses a fiat circular plate 10 which extends beyond neck portion 7; integral tube 11 which projects from the center there-of and is preferably cone-shaped and adapted to be inserted through aperture 7 of closure plate 4 into filler material 3 of block 1; ellipti cally shaped flange 12 integral with and extending upwardly from plate 10 functions as an annular band around the lower edge of the neck portion 7 to which it is secured by staples 6, rivets or the like. Base 9 may optionally be reinforced by a circular ridge 13 situated towards the center of plate 10 and/or a thickening 14 at the base of tube 11. Cylindrical opening 15 formed by tube 11 is adapted to receive the male coupling element of conventional stands or holders if and when desired.

The supporting base of the instant invention has combined a base plate, a cone-shaped tube and an annular band in a single integral unit which is securely attached to the bottom of the head block. Said integral unit provides inherent stability to the head block, as well as a self-supporting base therefor. The device of the instant invention eliminates the necessity of utilizing a stand or holder therwith, but does not preclude its use. The presence of the cylindrical opening formed by cone-shaped tube at the base thereof is adapted to receive the conventional stands presently on the market. In addition, the instant device serves the dual function of both dressing wigs and displaying said dressed wigs. The delicate task of transfering the wig from the block without disturbing the setting to a display head is thereby eliminated. Still another advantage of the instant device is the simplicity with which it is manufactured, by the single step of firmly securing a self-supporting plastic base to the bottom of a head block, thereby reducing the cost of the finished product.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments and examples, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of this invention can be made and that equivalents can be substituted therefor without departing from the principles and true spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A self-supporting head block for dressing and displaying wigs comprising a block shaped to the contour of the human head and terminating in a neck shaped portion to which is secured a molded plastic supporting base comprising essentially a circular plate of larger circumference than said neck portion, a centrally located integral tube which extends into the body of said block, and an 3 integral upwardly turned flan e shaped to fit around the neck portion thereof as an annular band.

2. The device defined in claim 1, wherein the block comprises essentially an outer fabric cover, a suitable filler material, and a plastic closure plate having a centrally located aperture and secured to the perpheral edges of said fabric at the neck portion thereof.

3. The device defined in claim 2, wherein the supporting base is superimposed on the closure plate.

4. The device defined in claim 3, wherein the tube portion of the supporting base is cone-shaped and provides a cylindrical opening for mounting on conventional holders.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1872 Earl 248-415 8/1875 Myers 2484l5 5/1938 Copeland et a1. 22366 2/1950 Hellberg 248346 X 6/1964 Farley 211-37 8/1965 Benner a- '22366 FOREIGN PATENTS 4/ 1928 France.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SELF-SUPPORTING HEAD BLOCK FOR DRESSING AND DISPLAYING WIGS COMPRISING A BLOCK SHAPED TO THE CONTOUR OF THE HUMAN HEAD AND TERMINATING IN A NECK SHAPED PORTION TO WHICH IS SECURED A MOLDED PLASTIC SUPPORTING BASE COMPRISING ESSENTIALLY A CIRCULAR PLATE OF LARGER CIRCUMFERENCE THAN SAID NECK PORTION, A CENTRALLY LOCATED INTE- 